Joey Wentz played a strong follow-up role to Bryce Elder during the Atlanta Braves’ 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland on Monday, showcasing his potential value in the bullpen. Both pitchers made cases for future spots in the starting rotation, with Wentz currently excelling in relief appearances. With Elder likely to fill the Braves’ vacant fifth starter role, Wentz’s future seems tied to a different, yet crucial, bullpen position, making his “Joey Wentz Braves role” an important part of the team’s strategy moving forward.
Wentz’s Performance and Roster Status
Wentz has impressed with five scoreless innings and a 1.00 WHIP across two relief outings, demonstrating his effectiveness from the bullpen. However, like Elder, Wentz is out of minor league options. This means if he is removed from the active roster, he can no longer remain on the Braves’ 40-man roster without being designated for assignment. Therefore, simply sending him down to Triple-A is not a feasible roster flexibility move, highlighting the need to find Wentz a regular and impactful role on the major league roster.
Maximizing Wentz’s Value Beyond Short Relief Appearances
While it might seem natural to use Wentz for brief relief stints of just one or two innings, such usage would squander his ability to provide extended innings. Instead, the Braves could capitalize on Wentz’s capability to pitch multiple innings consecutively, using him as a long reliever to give the bullpen rest or cover tough stretches early in games.
How Wentz Could Function as a Long Reliever
Wentz’s best fit may be in an expanded bullpen role where he can pitch three to five innings per outing, bridging the gap between starters and the later relief pitchers. For example, if a starter like Reynaldo López were limited to five innings to preserve his health, Wentz could follow with three or four innings of solid relief. This tandem would reduce the number of arms needed from the bullpen late in the game, preserving the bullpen’s stamina.
In a different scenario, if López struggles and exits after just two innings, Wentz could cover four to five innings, essentially providing starter-level workload from the bullpen. This extended relief would then allow the Braves’ other bullpen arms to close out the game fresh and effective.
Wentz’s Usage Frequency and Innings Potential
If Wentz were deployed once every five games with roughly three innings each appearance, it would amount to around 33 appearances and about 100 innings pitched over a full season. This approach enables the team to manage his workload effectively while keeping him rested and available for multiple critical outings.
Long Reliever Role as a Path to Starting Opportunities
Though he may initially work primarily out of the bullpen, Wentz could still transition into spot-starting duties as the season unfolds, providing necessary depth beyond the five traditional starters. Having built stamina through regular extended relief work, he would be prepared to face hitters multiple times through the order in a starting capacity, blending flexibility with effectiveness.
The Strategic Advantage of an Experienced Long Reliever
This strategy essentially revives the classic long reliever role, pairing it with spot starts as needed. Such a player offers valuable innings at a time when pitching depth and bullpen management are critical. With Joey Wentz available for consistent multi-inning work, the Braves gain an important piece capable of easing pressure on their bullpen and contributing to overall pitching stability throughout the season.
“Joey Wentz provided a nice follow to Bryce Elder on Monday, en route to an Atlanta Braves 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland.” ?Author Unspecified
“Both arms made their case for being the next two in line to get a spot in the starting rotation when one opens up.” ?Author Unspecified
